


I'll Be There For You

by idra



Series: 30 Days of Fic (April 2017) [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AUish, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 06:48:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10565865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idra/pseuds/idra
Summary: Tony takes Steve to his Chateau in the French countryside.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt - a scenic chateau getaway
> 
> So... This might have more added to it at a MUCH later date. Don't hold me to that but I feel like it needs more, however, I couldn't figure out what else to add. Enjoy.
> 
> a little ps. song title is from a train song called drive by, not the friends tv show theme song.

“So, you’re French, right?” Tony asks, tilting his head as he watches Steve do his usual morning after-run workout. 

“Yeah. Well, Mom was like a little bit Welsh, and Dad was Scottish and Irish, I think. Why?” Steve doesn’t even look up to see Tony’s expressions, too used to Tony asking him crazy questions to even blink over this one. 

“Well... Would you want to go to France?”

“Why?” Steve finishes his sit ups and pushes up to his feet. He starts doing squats and notices that Tony isn’t answering him. “Tony?” 

“Sorry. Sorry. Just... Is that how you get that ass?” Tony buries his face in his hands and shakes his head. “Oh my God. I’m sorry. Ignore that. I have a place in France. Pepper says I need to go check it out and decide if I want to keep it, sell it, or donate it.”

“And... you want me to go with?” Steve asks, grunting a little as he gets to one hundred squats. “Why?” 

“Because... Because I don’t want to go alone. Because I think you should go see Europe when we’re not fighting Hydra and AIM and other bad guys. Because we never see each other. You’re always off with Bucky, Sam and Natasha. I’m always in my lab. I miss spending time with you.” 

“Oh.” Steve looks up when he finishes two hundred squats and smiles at Tony. “I’d like to go with you. It sounds like a fun trip.” 

“Cool. I’ll start making arrangements. Are you free this upcoming week?” 

“Yeah. I’ve got no plans for the next couple of weeks. Bucky and Sam went with Natasha on some mission from Shield.”

“Okay. I’ll make the arrangements.” 

“Okay, let me know.”

“Will do.” Tony watches as Steve moves into lunges and he shakes his head, going to his lab. He calls Pepper and asks her to make the arrangements. An hour later, she’s calling him back with the details, and then Tony goes to find Steve. “Hey Steve,” he says, watching Steve make himself a huge sandwich for lunch. “Hey. That looks good.” 

Steve smiles at him. “You want one?” 

“I don’t think I can eat even half of that.” Tony smiles back. “So, we leave tomorrow morning. We’ll have a car waiting at the Bordeaux Airport.”

“Okay. I have my passport and I can go pack real quick. Are we taking your jet or going commercial?” 

“Mine. I don’t fly commercial unless I have no other choice.” Tony wrinkles his nose.

Steve chuckles. “So basically, it’s the suit or your jet or no flying?” 

“Pretty much,” Tony says, smiling at Steve. “So, we’ll leave at seven a.m.” 

“Will you be up that early?” Steve asks, raising an eyebrow. 

Tony frowns at him. “Yeah. I can get up early. When I want.” 

Steve laughs and shrugs, taking a big bite of his sandwich. “Whatever you say, Tony. How awake will you be?” 

“I’ll be awake. You just shush.” Tony rolls his eyes, trying not to smile. “I’m gonna go pack. Don’t worry about any fancy clothes. Just casual stuff is good. And bring your paints and sketchbook and stuff. There’s going to be a lot for you to draw.” 

Steve nods, and Tony heads up to the penthouse. He grabs his suitcase and begins packing, asking Jarvis what he needs. As Jarvis helps him pack, he reminds Jarvis to keep the suits on standby and to make sure he takes the briefcase suit with him. He goes and grabs his travel kit from his bathroom, tossing it in the suitcase before he heads down to his lab. He starts working on his suits and some new specs for some of Stark Industries electronics. 

Before he knows it, Jarvis is reminding him that his flight is in two hours. Tony groans and rubs a hand over his head. “Is Steve up?” 

“Sir, Captain Rogers has been ready for the past hour. He asked that I check on you to make sure you were awake and would be ready to go.” 

“I will, I will,” Tony says, putting away the piece of the armor he had been working on. “J, save all progress to server S.I.5. I’ll work on it when we get back. Are my bags ready to go?” 

“Yes, sir, they are by the front door of your penthouse. You should take a shower before you and the Captain go on your trip.”

“Yeah. Briefcase armor?” 

“Master Hogan already has it loaded and is on his way up to the penthouse to get the rest of your things. I suggest you hurry if you want to shower and eat before you begin your trip.” 

“Yeah, yeah. I got it. Stop bossing me around already.” Tony gets into the elevator and heads up to his floor. He rushes through a shower and grabs his laptop and a few other things, including his sunglasses as he heads downs to grab something to eat. Steve is in the kitchen and hands him a plate. “Thanks, Steve.”

“You’re welcome. You about ready?” 

“Yeah. Just need some coffee and some breakfast.”

“Let’s go.” Steve hands over a go-cup of coffee and smiles brightly. 

Tony chuckles. “You’ve thought of everything.”

“I know you,” Steve says. He takes Tony’s laptop bag and carries it downstairs, Tony following as he eats his food and drinks his coffee.

It’s a long flight to France but when they land, Steve is still smiling at Tony. “So, where are we staying? You said you had a place.” 

“It’s just outside of Royan, up the road from Bordeaux. It’s a chateau my dad had bought... I don’t know when. Eons ago, but I kept it for some reason.” Tony shrugs as they get through customs with no problems, then he’s climbing behind the wheel of the car Pepper had rented for them. “You ready?” 

“Yeah. So a chateau, huh? Aren’t those basically like... Castles without the towers or moats?” 

“Yeah, pretty much. There’s a vineyard, but it’s not very good wine. However, the views are outstanding. If you like it, maybe I’ll keep it and we can use it as a summer home or something.” 

Steve raises an eyebrow. “You’re giving me an awful lot of power.” 

“Yeah, well. You’re Captain America. You won’t take advantage.” Tony grins at him. “And by the way, the chateau does have a moat. It’s called Chateau de Fer.” 

“Castle of Iron?” 

“Stark men are made of Iron,” Tony says, no inflection to his voice. 

Steve reaches over and gently squeezes his shoulder. “Your dad... Howard... I’ll never forgive him.” 

Tony just inhales deeply, then exhales slowly. He nods and pulls onto the road, driving in silence. Steve bites his lip but focuses on the country side. “It’s beautiful here,” he says, attempting to get Tony to speak. Tony stays silent until the reach the coast. Then he turns his head to look at Steve for a moment.

“France is beautiful. And the chateau is impressive. At least from what I remember from when I was a kid. I think you’ll like it.” 

Steve nods. “I’m sure I will.”

They both fall silent again until they reach the chateau. Steve’s eyes widen. He’s seen several of Tony’s properties-- the house in Malibu before the Mandarin, the Avengers Tower, the Stark Mansion in Manhattan, but nothing has compared to the beauty of the castle in front of him. “Tony... This is... Beautiful.” 

Tony smiles as he pulls down the long driveway and parks in front of the doors. He hops out and jogs up the steps as an elderly couple step out. “Adelia! Geoffrey! It’s so good to see you both again!” he says in English, then he switches to French, hugging them both. He gestures back to Steve and Steve gives a little wave, blushing as both nod at him, eyeing him. Steve grabs their bags and climbs the steps, glancing at Tony. “Adelia, Geoffrey, this is Steve Rogers. Steve, this is Adelia and Geoffrey. They’ve been the caretakers of this chateau since I was a little boy.”

“Oui. But now our sons do most of the work. We just tell them what to do,” Adelia says, holding her hand out to Steve. 

Steve takes her hand, kissing the knuckles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Madam. My apologies, though. I don’t speak French, except some bad language that I was taught when I served.” 

Geoffrey chuckles. “We know who you are, Captain. My brother, he tell many tales of you from the war.”

“Your brother?” Steve asks, raising an eyebrow. His face falls a little. “Jacques?” 

“Oui. So you know, he did live a happy life after you were gone. Once the war was over and the Commandoes needed him no longer, he came home. He met a beautiful girl and married her. They had many, many children. He lived many years.” 

Steve licks his lips, smiling softly. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“Geoff, stop going on. I’m sure the Captain and Anthony would like to come in and rest. Anthony, you’ll take the master suite. We’ll put the Captain in the next suite over, yes?” 

Tony smiles and nods. “Thanks, Adelia.” He kisses her cheek and takes a couple bags from Steve. “Come on, Steve. I’ll show you where to go,” he says, leading the way. “Adelia, Geoffrey, you just stay down here. We’ll get settled in and see you tomorrow. It’s already pretty late.” 

“Good night, Anthony,” Adelia says.

Steve follows Tony up two flights of stairs. “They seem nice.” 

“They are. Too old to still be running this place, but I can’t fire ‘em. They’ve worked here for forever. In Adelia’s case, pretty much her whole life.” 

Steve nods. “We should rest, you know.” 

“That’s the plan, Steve,” Tony says, opening one door to an enormous room. “Here’s your room. Mine is through that door,” he adds, pointing to an ornate looking black door. “I’ll see you in the morning.” 

“Good night, Tony,” Steve says, watching as Tony walks down the hall. He smiles to himself as he carries his bags over to the bed and begins unpacking.


End file.
